Thetownend.com

The opponent: Sheffield United

After the last couple of weeks I have come to the conclusion that 90% of the contributors on This Is really are thicker than a constipated camel’s turd. From my understanding, we sit in a decent league position with a good chance of making the play offs, this is just 2 footballing seasons after we found ourselves bottom of the same league. Expectations have to be handled so carefully, its great to be able to raise them but the same needs to be said when it comes to lowering them. There are many questions that remain unanswered regarding our new owners, CG Development etc etc and I have no doubt the time will come when these questions will be asked, believe me, I am as cynical as the rest, but now, our concentration has to be on football, starting today against The Blades.

We have done the full history lesson on Sheffield United before, so once again we will take a look at some of the lesser known facts surrounding Sheffield. With the Blades being something of an old club, and Brammal Lane having a touch of the Tudors about it, it is thought the area that is now The City of Sheffield has been occupied since at least the last Ice Age, now that’s old! Another age related fact, Hallam FC play at the oldest football ground in the world! For those of you who fancy a bit of slalom, Sheffield currently has the 6th largest Ski village in Europe! I thought it was a bit chilly up north but that’s taking the piss. It seems the folk of Sheffield are something of an environmentally friendly lot having been voted as Europe’s most green city back in 2005. Perhaps one of the contributory factors to their eco-warrior status is the fact that Sheffield is the largest city in Europe not to have its own airport! And they let Luton have one?  For those heading up north in search of pots of gold you will be interested to know Sheffield holds the record for the longest continuously visible rainbow at 6hrs back in 1994.

What are they saying about us? –

“massive game, I’ll be amazed if we win tho”

http://www.s24su.com/forum/index.php?threads/swindon-game.29805/

Sheffield United Last 6 –  DLWDDL (Currently 5th on 70 points)

The Threat – With the useful Nick Blackman departed, Dave Kitson leads the way with 10 goals.

A Warm Welcome to – Poor old LJF has still only managed 1 appearance for Sheffield United.

The irrelevant stats –  After a bit of a shaky run of form The Blades have parted company with ex Town boss Danny Wilson, although I think their destiny this season remains in their own hands for now. United’s last outing at home ended up in a 2-0 beating from Crawley. The home form really isn’t that great for a team in a position they find themselves in, perhaps a sign that the league really was not that strong this year? The home record reads played 20, won 7, drawn 9 and lost 4. Still, Franchise didn’t have the best home record either.

Head to Head – United hold the edge on this one with 11 wins, 7 draws and 7 defeats.

The Odds – Sheffield United 6/4  Draw 23/10  Swindon 7/4 (SkyBet) Some places have us at 2/1, I think I will go for another half time – full time bet, draw HT Win FT, generally 6/1 and bound to never happen If I put a few quid on it.

The Son Says – I told him that his lack of optimism caused me some concern for the Franchise game so he tried lifting my spirits by suggesting a 2-0 victory, although my hopes were soon dampened when my daughter claimed we would be lucky to scrape a 1-1 draw.

The Prediction –  We are going to hurt them, beat them, tear them a new one and thrash the pants off them with a commanding 1-0 victory with a last minute miracle goal from Shit Williams, I feel 1342 loyal Town fans will be at the game today.

And Finally –   Jupiter’s largest moon, Ganymede, has exactly the same area as Sheffield. Scientists were even more baffled when they found it also had 7 hills......again like Sheffield.  Remarkable.

COYR COYR COYR

Obvious loss is obvious.

Fantastic right up Shaw Rosso. You have got a real talent for this.

Not making the journey myself after going Tuesday night, but I hope we put on a good performance. Head says I think we'll get beat, 3-1, with 1300 Town fans making the trip!

2-1 win. COME ON!

They are poor, we are poorer. 2-0 win to them. I'm banking all on our last 3 games.

0-0 banker

Hopefully we actually turn up. Would be happy with a draw.

Blades 3-0 Town

Two from corners. Town with half an effort on goal in another try-not-to-lose debacle.

Blades fans will wonder what all the worry was about.

Two sides in shit form, just hope we go there and have a go at actually winning from the off!

COYR

0-0 bore draw. The day out will still be a laugh.

Its nice and sunny oop north this morning, and I am going for a 1-0 to the Town, courtesy of an og

I've got a good feeling about this 2-1 Swindon COYR

O, and I'm going so we best had better fucking win.

Feeling positive!

All going to come good today!

Gonna be a mahoosive win!

Wouldn't be surprised at a 1-4 scoreline.

a painful 0-0

Apparently we haven't managed a win at Sheffield United in 12 games and unfortunately I can't see that changing today.   I can't see us scoring yet again unless we really go for it from the off.  I just hope our defensive fragilities aren't exposed again and Sheff Utd continue with their inability to score as well.  If not come 5pm,  I've got a horrible feeling we'll find ourselves out of the play off places  :(

Regrettably, I suspect this is about right (except I think maybe we'll only ship 2)

1-0 defeat, abject performance, angry fans.

Don't feel confident today, 3-0 sheffield. Think its going to be a dull and gloomy atmosphere from us as well tbh

This would have been 0-0 if Wilson had been in charge. 1-0 to them, with the only shot on target in the entire game.

Think this will decide our season personally. Defeat today would leave us needing 7-9 points from our last 3 games which is a tall order. A point today wouldn't be the end of the world so long as we can take 4-6 points in the next 2 home games. A win would probably revitalize us and spur us on to a top 6 place. Massive game this one.

Feeling confident about this, for some reason. Possibly because they're just as shit as we are at the moment if not more so. Somethings got to give, 3-1 Town.

 COYR

I actually woke up hoping that we didn't have to play a game today. I was relieved when I realised it was away and I didn't have to go.

Sick to death of this season now, I just want it to be over.

Think Utd must score today, I think it is four home games without a goal for them (happy to be corrected on that!).  Question is can we score and make a draw out of it, if Mr Negative employs his usual tactics I cannot see it, defeat then - however, if he surprises us and picks Collins and Williams up front with either Roberts and/or De Vita supporting them then we may snatch something.

Sam Moreshead reckons me may see 4-4-2 today. To be honest with the personnel we have available that's probably the better option anyway.

We'll lose.

Not because of form.

Because it's Sheffield United away.

Helplessly hoping as always though.

So long as it's not like my last journey oop north I'll be happy. We are going to win 1-2 with both out goals in the second half.

Expect a 3-0 defeat for my first game in two years. It's like I never left.

I'm going to this. My first game of the KMac era. My first game since Orient I think. Haviong not been to any games recently, I'm managing to stay optimistic. Let's hoep that positivity is still in tact come 5pm!

3-0 loss, abject performance and Tuesday night could get quite messy when we fall behind to Crewe.

Have been to Sheffield United a few times, can't ever remember us getting my h (if anything) and I don't see that changing today.

I just hope that we have a go at them, even if it means losing.

That sums up exactly how I feel

Meh to football

Feeling optimistic today, hoping for a 2-1 win for the Town today.

Well at Doncaster we didn't have a shot on target, at MK we did but didn't have one clear chance...I will just be happy with us creating something and testing the keeper.

I think we will revert to 4-4-2 and win. 0-2, Williams and Collins.

Did you get bummed by a miner?

Seem to remember us getting a win there, sometime in the very early 70's, but since then zilch.

Well, just got up, a bit late I know but Wow the doom and gloom has gone we win 3-0 today .what a change from the last game I went to at Donny its taken me 2 wks to get over it but with the gloom being lifted by the fact that we win our last 4 games and the prospect of playing Qpr leeds etc nxt season.life is great "onwards and upwards"  "C O Y R" great post again rosso and lets all be positive at least until 5pm. don't forget it was thatchers lot that tried to do away with football altogether and brought in the fencing round the grounds, which was a lot to do with the Hillsboro tragedy  . "so be happy"

All or nothing today, a 442 and a 2-1 win

we'll mince,smash,obliterate and atomise them -  100-0 to us

We will lose 4-0

Heavy 3-0 defeat unfortunately.

 :pint: if you're heading to the sheffield tap at the train station, take my advice and get a pint of thornbridge sequoia. beautiful stuff.

1-0 defeat and the only positive of the day being 10 beers ticked off on the Wetherspoons festival list. About to leave the Rawson Spring in Hillsborough where a huge cheer tells me Wednesday are beating Leeds!

Not sure if a point will be enough but that's as much as I'm expecting 1-1 Flint getting one with his head.

We will lose and our season will carry on going into a downward spiral of self-harm and negativity and only the odd tweet of 'Bad Ass Bitches' from Troy will raise hopes of an upward trend.

4-0

2-1 Us.

RDV and Collins in. 442 - yay!

Thank god for that!

Sam Morshead ‏@SamMorshead_SA 3m
TOWN v Sheff Utd: (4-4-2)  Foderingham; Byrne, Flint, Ward, McCormack; Roberts, Ferry, Luongo, De Vita; Williams, Collins #stfcadver

shame Roberts is shite really

YESSSSS  that's a winning team  coyr

No.

Gary Roberts, who art in Sheffield,
Ball round, Collin's head found,
In Bramall, as in County Ground.

If we think we'll win then we will.  Promise.

That's the spirit!  :nod:

Good team. Big ask. Huge game.

COYR.

Massive game, but we can do it with 4-4-2!

COYR!!

KMac thinks we need 7 points from the next 4 games...

Seconded

Come on Town.

Utd hit the post...

this doesn't sound good

Cleared off the line by Town...

Byrne and Flint make great blocks, we sound under pressure to put it mildly, which is to be expected early on.

Off the line twice in quick succession...

Still in it though!

Under the cosh here...

This is horrible to listen to right now.

And another. This Murphy kid sounds rather tricky.

Is Kitson Dave Kitson?

Should have started with a 4-5-1 formation  haha

Fods saves a one-on-one, not sounding good!

At least Hartlepool are helping us out

Sob! Sob! Its worse not being able to listen!!

aaaaand relax

According to the BBC we are 1-0 up on corners

so if we were playing 6 a side we'd be winning

Positivity

Why?

Is KMac playing for them ?

Yep, not happy with dragging the team out of the playoffs, MacDonald is lining up against Town today to stick the boot in a bit more.

we relieved some of the pressure at last, sounds scrappier now

full backs giving away way too many freekicks

Sheff UTD were always going to be up for this after recent events. if we can keep them at 0.0 for the first 20 - 30 mins we will come back at them as they'll be out of ideas and puff

fuck that was close!!!

Gents, can you be more specific please!

BBC Wiltshire "No chance Town will keep a clean sheet today"

All over the shop. V lucky to be 0 0

Can't we just knock the ball around a little? Take the sting out of the game etc?

Town still organising the wall when the free kick was taken - thus open goal missed by Sheffield all accounts

If the game continues in this vein.

In a potentially portentous event (or possibly a total coincidence) the wheels have just come off my computer chair.

 Fuck me we are getting royally fucked....Coconut shy!!.....c'mon lads .......keep em out and sucker punch em!!!!

Putting me off my flat pack construction....

Aye...didn't have the chance to type the rest of it.

Should be playing 4-5-1....

Brentford winning.

Brentford winning, typical that it's Bradley wright-Phillips

Someone will say it later on.

Anyone think we'd benefit from an extra man in midfield?

Sounds like we need 2 goalies ....

COCK COCK COCK COCK COCK COCK COCK COCK COCK.

I honestly can't remember the last time we were this under the cosh. Fooking hell, we'll be lucky if we draw today...

Need nevarro on imho

Pompey equalised against Brentford.

not sure if we're as bad as the commentary is making out or if they're being very negative (as usual)

David Connolly. That's who we should try and sign if we in league 1 next season

commentary correct

are you there?

yes

Sam Morshead ‏@SamMorshead_SA 39s
Foderingham tries to take the ball round Porter and almost gets tackles, manages to leap on the ball in the end.

He has been doing that a lot lately...

You had chips n gravy yet...?  :)

At least Sheffield Utd. have the same condition we have at home: tons of chances, no goals.

Here's hoping we'll have one shot on target and win 1-0.

EDIT: Fucking hell fods, don't be a twat now.

pie

I'm going out to panic buy prawn sandwiches.

RIP STFC

FFS 1-0 down

Damn it.

it was coming. 1.0

Sheff Utd 1-0 up, Porter scores with a header.

Would be fair to say that's with the run of play.

Sounds like what we deserve.

Giving away too many fucking freekicks. Sound like a bunch of sunday League footballers

Two yellow cards for dissent too, ideal.

The floodgates open?

This is very depressing

What has this guy done to our team thankfully pdc got plenty of points before he fucked off

Roberts again proving he is a useless turd.

Oh well! Glad I can't listen. Off to do some ironing instead.

A team of turds at the moment

Ah well. Lets hope we stay up next season. Think only way we make playoffs is if the other teams all fuck up

Off the fucking line again...

shall I post some pictures of cute kittens?

Flint fucks up, McCormack clears off the line. Lots of defensive mistakes, McCormack booked too. There'll be a red today.

Another off the line after Flint does something stupid.

Why is everyone playing so badly?

Sheffield hit the post...again

Ben used to bring us lesbians in such circumstances.

Sounds like every swindon player has just forgotton how to play football. 

We are being battered in all aspects by the sounds of it.

Off the post again.

Why can't we take a proper corner?!

4-5-1! 4-5-1! 4-5-1, 4-5-1

I don't suppose we actually have anything on the bench to make a difference either

we sound like were bottom of the league not 6th in L1

If PDC were still here, I think its fair to say that we'd have no subs left.

Yellow for Collins- 4 Town players on a yellow now- Ferry, Bryne, McCormack, Collins.

I think it'd be fair to say that 4-4-2 is not a silver bullet.

Sounds like the ref is interviewing for the Sheff Utd job

HT 1-0

I'm not Ben.

[url width=900 height=675]http://www.nationalgeographic.it/images/2013/04/04/155427326-26392a6e-8133-4c64-a67c-f684ee3b9e83.jpg[/url]

That is by far the worst 45 mins I have listened to this season. Unbelievable

So most of the players who've been very decent this season are shadows of their former self?

Very strange. Almost makes you think that all is not well behind the scenes?

Who would have thought it? It seemed to simple.

KMAC should follow what Danny Wilson did during the week

Take away hard work and discipline and average players start to look average.

[url width=900 height=891]http://melisas-bears.com/nascha_02.JPG[/url]

Baby owls still my go to.

Do you really think that will achieve anything? We'd only end up with his assistant in charge.

Fuck me. Could be 4 0 at least, but they way the goal came was in keeping with the farcical referring.

The midfield has been gash, middle far too light weight. Nevarro needs on.

Utter gash town performance.

In all seriousness though, Sheff Utd away would have been one of the game when I would have considered 4-5-1.  We've crying out for 4-2-2 at home and at some of the easier away games, but todays game I would have applauded 4-5-1, had we been playing 4-4-2 and trying to win games at home previously.

I think the commentators summed it up by saying we look like a team in pieces.  I'm really not sure what else to say.

I don't think you can blame Macdonald for today, the players have lost the plot.

As bad a 1st half as I've seen for years. Utter shambles,  ref not helping but we really are dire. No heart,  we should be 5 down. K Mac has got to sort this out. I thought Doncaster was bad.

correct. There better be giving smashed teas cups and hair drier in the dressing room right now.

Hmmmm. Doesn't make great reading.

My prediction of us winning 4-1 is still on though!

I said 2-1 Town- still possible, not sounding probable

Not sure I can stomach the second half but I resubscribed to Player for this and can't really afford to piss away a fiver on it

I'm actually quite glad that they found out about Julie, saves me the torture of listening.

Players sent out early ! Hope they got a severe bollocking

Nah, KMac probably told them to keep it up, we'll get lucky, they're playing well and Sheff Utd are just edging it.

Fingers crossed Walsall don't score, out of the play off positions if that happens

1,248 Town fans there. Great effort and really feel for them at the moment. Hopefully, it gets better.

You're probably spot on !

Come on Town, turn this round, turn the season round, turn the crowd round. Make a few people eat their words.

I very much doubt that I am.

.   Sad but true

[url width=316 height=213]http://i.imgur.com/GrU0w0d.gif[/url]

Eh up, sounds like the STFC team bus turned up at half time.

Muff 2 up

Bournemouth will win the league.

Donny 1 down.

Donny 1 down

It's almost as if we are missing the influence of a mad disciplinarian and master tactician.....

Yeovil winning, big gap above us as it stands.

Yeo 1 up

Fuck, walsall 1 up

Who quit. We didn't sack him, he walked and has now got a much, much better job. We can't get him back, get over it. Might as well wonder what "might have been" if our squad still had Cox, Austin and Ritchie. Gotta make the most of what we have.

Walsall winning. Season over

Walsall winning

Currently 7th

Our season is falling apart before our eyes! Fuck sake town

A Rooney on for RDV

Rooney (Adam) on for Rafa of Life

Which is where I predicted we would finish ! :-(

Are the next three matches cancelled then?

Fair point and I know I shouldn't look back but it's difficult to take that a team that was doing so well not so long ago sounds a complete shadow of itself.

I would have taken Roberts off instead of RDV

Without being overly negative does anyone know when you can bet on Town being relegated from League 1 next season? Just as an insurance policy.

Have a horrible feeling about the next 2 years or so, football wise that is.

Pompey now winning at Brentford.

Brentford losing

Stenhousemuir 2-1 up away to East Fife.

Fucking Yeovil are 3rd, 4 points off with a game in hand

I understand and agree to a point, but it's overly simplistic to just blame the manager. We've also lost Hollands, who was really important towards the end of his time here, and Ritchie who is the bloody division player of the year. We've also lost Thompson for the rest of the season and Miller has played a few games injured and is now out too. Injuries are really taking their tolls on the squad and without Ritchie we just seem to have a lack of absolute quality in the final third of the pitch. The embargo really screwed us over in recruiting replacements.

Not saying that KMac is Mourinho, or even a long term manager, but he's being made a scapegoat at the moment for a much more complicated problem

Hereford 1-1 Gateshead

On a positive note, we sound much better this half

Port Talbot 4 Prestatyn Town 1

 We have shit out big time havent we. :cry:

Rooney the lesser getting a go too now.

On a positive note, Roberts is off.

If only I'd put them on my coupon this week! Regrets, I have a few...

Anyone down to 12 could quite easily get into the play offs. Bloody bonkers league

Flint getting a yellow now too, referee really not popular with the travelling support.

Much better from town second half

Much better from town second half

Much better from town second halfhalf

Are we any better this half Batch?

Bloody hell, must be good  :)

Take us out the equation, we got no chance !!!

Another Billy Paynter goal.

Brace for Paynter

In terms of following ST, losing Ritchie was the biggest kick in the teeth I can remember for a long time.
Agree that the embargo is costing us dearly now - but I just don't get the feeling that KMac is 'kicking ass' and inspiring the players as I would have hoped.

Sadly - can't see us getting to POs, and if we do get there, I feel that we don't have the form or 'buzz'  to win it. The buzz of the team seems to have been extinguished....

 

Donny showing what a top team should, turning 1-0 into 1-2

Coventry and Yeovil away were much improved in the second half, so far we sound much better today.

Mark Francis coming on; probably not the best time to give him his debut :0

Anyone else appreciate the irony of someone on Facebook named "themmasterFjortoft" calling for someone to be fired after two months of underperforming? It's almost like he's not aware of the trajectory of Mr. Fjortoft's Town career.

Moron.

So, are we better this half because:

a. Sheff Utd are sitting back on a 1 goal lead
b. KMac has put a rocket up the team's bum
c. A couple of outstanding individual performances
d. Because we couldn't have been any worse first half

Same old though, still not finishing these chances

And I'm hoping for a couple of goals today! Just feeling a bit miserable about it all today.....

Where's Miles Storey these days?

a,b and d

Well, he can't do any worse than whichever striker he is replacing (since they haven't scored for months)

Injured

Coming back from injury again.

Have we had any chances in this game?

Based on current form and inability to score, they might as well be.  Although the second half is substantially better than the first, it makes little difference if we don't score.

Just out a matter of interest, would people prefer us to miss out on the play-offs completely or scrape in knowing that's no real likelihood of us winning them?

I never thought I'd say this, but I almost feel like I want this season to end asap.  It's gone from one of enjoyment and real belief to one of utter frustration and disappointment.    I'd rather it wasn't prolonged and further expense incurred by being dumped out in the play offs tbh.

Francis cleaned out off the ball by Hill, referee ignores it.

Williams booked for diving as he appeals for a penalty. Six Swindon bookings, none for the home side.

Hmm.

Shitty 2-1 down

Mk losing

Seem to remember us starting poorly under PDC, does anyone have the stats for us.

Yellow card number 7, Rooney foul.

Sounds like we should officially complain about the ref if the commentary are correct....
He sounds like a biased bellend.

Ordinarily I'd say that making the play-offs from this position would mean that we're hitting form at the right time and would give the team and the fans a boost in terms of confidence. However it seems like there are a lot of people who just expect/want MacDonald to fail and whether we make the play-offs and miss out in either semi-final or final or if we miss out on the play-offs entirely that will only please some.

I don't really care what happens. I just hope that people will wipe the slate clean over the summer and give MacDonald a chance because I've no doubt he'll be in charge come August and frankly I'd rather we spent the summer trying to get some answers from the board.

Orient right behind us now.

Fuck me, discipline has gone down the toilet

Irrelevant or not if we have chances. That's unless the REF or Linesmen are allowed to knock the ball in the net for us....

Darren 'Macca' McCormack (no relation) has been sent off for East Fife, think there's little to no chance for them now. Still 2-1 to Stennie.

Yellow for Sheff Utd!

bye bye

Game over 2-0

That's it.

What.... the whole team ?

All over.

season over

Game over

Haha, oh dear.

Game over.

I hate football sometimes. It's not the despair, it's the hope I can't stand

On a positive note, I have just put the kettle on

Fucking bollocks.  :crash:

Fuck.

Didn't realise my player is 1 minute behind the board.

Fancy a nice little clearout in the summer!

I'd put in stronger terms than that if I could...

I was trying to see whether this was as bad as Doncaster away or not.

KMAC first please

Ironside's on. I wondered why he's been so quiet.

Humph. Much better performance second half but no town goals to show for it. Again.

Humph.

Not that great news the kettle is one of the most pricey things to use in the kitchen. Use it wisely Bernie.

I reckon Morgan will make a good manager, especially for Sheff U

Third game running we haven't had a real chance of note.

Brilliant.

well done kmac you've turned a top six team with a winning formula to a shambles cant wait for next season for more of this shit ............... travesty top against Tranmere in Feb 13 now in 7th and ending the season in freefall.

Brentfird 3-2 up

 :badmood:Fucking ridiculous jed out.

It's over my friends and old McDonald is in big trouble IMO.

I cannot wait to hear the after match interview :)

On Tuesday night the MK keeper was the villain and today the ref seems a cunt but the Blades have squandered 15 odd chances at least....

I fucking despair, I really do.

Brentford score 2 and now lead. Not that it really matters.

Shhooooof on target!

I'm pouring it over my radio :)

Ummm. If you aren't in the autos nor play offs then you have ZERO chance of promotion. If you limp into the playoffs off of a run of poor form and copious injuries, you still have an opportunity. My fear is that we won't make it despite everything that has gone before.

The only reason we won at Coventry was because he hadn't had long enough to fuck it all up

villa are welcome to him.

I don't blame KMac. I blame the board, with us being in embargo for months. Injuries have taken their toll in the last few weeks and now we are having to put on kids, as our squad isn't big enough.

Average average average.  :crash:

If we lose on Tuesday it could be an interesting night !

Walsall 1-1

Back in the Play off places :)

Really don't think its KMac's fault. I'd place far more blame on the shoulders of those players who have missed sitters when we've played at home. We'd actually have some sort of form if we'd have won those games, and you can't blame the manager for those misses.

Besides, we're still in the play-offs!

If? (ps I'm joking!) I'm sure we'll get a draw.....

And somehow we are still in the play offs.

Wow.

Muted chants of we are staying up from small section. Made me chuckle

Back in the play offs :wink:

I left early and heard a massive cheer. I have a fiver on 2 0 at 9-1. should I be happy now?

From your son... ;)

Yep

not here

Amazingly, a play-off place is back in our hands. If only we had hands.

And like David James.....it slips gently and softly through them.

No real chances apart from Trevor Francis goal bound effort....that's my worry...vast improvement on second half ref all the play but no real chances.......dogshit..

It could be worse, we could support Bury

Its a bad day. mathematically we can't get the autos now

tbf, that's the least of our worries

I was trying to add a bit of light humour you miserable fucker

IF only we could just win the next two home games, amazingly it is still in our own hands.

 

I think you will find, I am one of the less miserable posters on here today.  I have been adding light humour all afternoon. :)

If you think I am miserable, stick around

It's got to the stage where you can't imagine us scoring a goal, let alone winning a game. [miserable fucker mode]

It gives us something to aspire to next season

tbh, i can't see us winning another game this season, piss poor on all sides (management,players and board) :(

Time to log off before the meltdown starts....

Brace yourselves people....

Got to be a Town record for yellow cards, hasn't it?

Listened to Sheff U commentary and they were saying most of the yellows given to us were bizarre. Not that it had any bearing on the result.

We'll score again, don't know where, don't know when......

I'm no longer on the fence. As much as I really want Jed and KMac to succeed, we are fucking awful.

I need a laugh after that result so have turned on the radio - lets see what KMac comes out with today after he said we 'outplayed' Franchise on Tuesday night. :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Club I thinks gets a fine if 7+ players booked, we had 8 booked today ? I wonder if kmac has the ability to lift the team as a fourth defeat on the bounce for many fans will be unacceptable and will lead to a very negative County Ground.

anyone in red and white fell over, free kick, yellow.

Ref was a colossal cock.

First half we were shocking. Second half was actually a reasonably good away performance. Other than letting a goal in. And not having clearcut chances. But we knocked on the door. Today the strikes didn't really have the chances to miss..sheff u did, as poor as we have been in front of goal... Except the obvious.

We've got a lot of excuses, but there is no excuse for how bad we are at the moment...

KMAC has had 9/10 games now? Under different circumstances I would be close to deciding he isn't the man for the job. 

He is under constraints though so I'll hold of judging him. Not feeling too confident about him though.

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[url width=900 height=837]http://melisas-bears.com/bubo_08.JPG[/url]

Awwww

He looks as though he's had a really bad day. Poor little fella!

Fair point, but circumstances or no, how often does a manager turn it around when the rot is this bad? Since he came in we've shown relegation form.

I thought I was a miserable fucker! Listening to the texts on the radio makes me sound joyous and delirious with delight!  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Think we should complain about ref out of principle..... not that that makes any difference...

Anyone on here that Tyrell fella on twitter?

What a chump!

On the bright side...
Wallace and gromit is on BBC 1....

How long before the crowd turns on Macdonald do we think ? A defeat to Crewe ?

Which is why I'm not feeling too confident about him despite the circumstances. We appear to be capitulating, not a good omen.

An early Crewe goal will probably do it for some of the less patient.

One of the travelling 1,248 I understand. We crush their hopes early at Swindon.

If it doesn't go to plan next two home games, and we lose to Stevenage then I can see a Paul Hart style Notts County at home reaction.

Sooner this season is over the better.

Cant believe after 10 years away I thought I'd slip straight back in to it - truth is, I really can't be arsed any more.

You can actually see it all falling apart, bit by bit, every week the season goes on.

Where the hell we go from here, fuck knows

What did kmac say after the game?

Fans deserve better
He gave the players a half time bollocking
He's abit clueless about the shocking first half performance
Onto the next game
Blah blah blah

Ta

On paper we're somehow still hanging in there, but there's just not enough in that team to get anything from a game at the moment.  Not only are we struggling to create chances and score, we've now conceded late on in the last 3 games.   It's just not happening out there in all at all.

We can all have opinions about why it's gone so wrong, but serious questions need to be asked of everyone connected with Swindon Town FC from Board level down to player level.

I'm seriously considering missing my first home game of the season on Tuesday.  The atmosphere is going to be pretty hostile from the start, a few mistakes or missed chances, the barracking will begin and if we go behind it could really turn unpleasant.

There's loads of reasons as to why it's gone so wrong that have been done to death.  Macdonald is getting the brunt of the blame, but questions also need to be asked of the Board and the players.

It was so nice for an 18 month period not to get the snide comments about supporting Swindon.  They've all quickly crept back out of the woodwork now.  I'm sick of hearing 'Well that's what happens when you support a shit team' etc etc.

De Vita saying players are 100% to blame, not KMacs fault at all

He's gonna say that though isn't he

Hardly gonna come out and say "The gaffa is a clueless cunt".

Really?  :D

Thought he sounded pretty genuine in his comments though, truly embarrassed as was McCormack

We'd have been happy at the start of the season with just missing the play offs, the momentum for next season is what is concerning. Still at least we get to play the slave traders again.

Where's that Italian chap when you need him???

Reality is we're pretty much where we've been for the last ten years...and we'll continue with that next season. Namely the occasional decent season in Div 3, where we chuck a bit of money we don't really have at it, then retrenchment, and a slip down the table for a relegation battle to Div 4. That would seem to be where we are going.

Sat in my mates kitchen in Mansfield having a brew dissecting the game. We should have been dead and buried by half time. Came alive in the second half. Not good enough. Defo penalty and we played 442.

We'll be lucky to make play off's at this rate. We need two wins minimum.

Reality is a manager with drive and personality inspires the players and the fans and creates interest and K Macdonald does none of this and never will (M.Malpass Mark 2)

We should have been a good 5-0 down at half time. Awful first half, we couldn't keep hold of the ball for more than a minute!

Nice to see that Dave Kitson is still a massive cunt and the ref was the most biased home referee that I've ever witnessed.

The only plus is that we're smashing through the journey home and I'm going to drink myself into oblivion tonight.

Byrne all over the place again by all accounts - he has to be dropped, even if it is for Devera who can't attack but is at least a solid defender. Byrne right midfield would be worth a go I reckon, has quality on the ball but it's ridiculous how easily he gets done defensively. 

Byrne was getting roasted for the first 15 minutes. Thought he did ok, after that and he also blocked a shot that was going in.

How was De Vita? As ineffective and shite as usual I guess?

Yep! About as dangerous as a baguette in a bank robbery!

 :D  I don't think I've seen him put in a decent performance since Di Canio has gone.  Obviously a player who needs continual pushing, like most of the team tbh.

 :hmmm:

More spineless dog shite.

If K Mac is still here next week I will be livid.

Just home, and whilst it would be hard to argue that we should have hot any points from that game the performance was better than Donny or Franchise.

However, my overriding feeling coming out of that game was that I had witnessed the most one sided biased refereeing performance of all time.

Didn't know you cared.

MacDonald will be here in August, so those of you calling for his head ought to just give it a rest. He is not solely responsible for our drop in form.

Rdv was the Saviour without playing last week for some.
 We are injury ravaged and not good enough. Judge kmac come October if he's given a budget.
Blaming him now is fucking stupid.

Dean Smith of Walsall, is pretty much your bog standard Mr Charisma Bypass, if he'd been appointed our manager, then the fans would have driven him out when he went 13 matches without a win earlier this season, nevertheless they may well pass us before the end of the season and all done on a shoestring budget.

He's clearly crap. I would wager most semi decent managers could have steered us over the line. There's every chance we could finish upper mid table now.

Sorry for not being overjoyed at his fucking exemplary start.

Just saw the goals on SSN.  The second was a carbon copy of the first, header from a free kick.  Good to see we learnt from the first one!

Yes. Yes it is.

Yeah, both freekicks from the right, both headers and both with Ward completely ineffectual

I thought someone said the season was over last tuesday,really surprised we played today-and are still in the playoffs.We couldn't really wish for a better run in!

The few comments from those at the match have summed it up pretty well and succinctly.
I certainly can't recall seeing a more dire 45 mins than that first half for a long while, if ever. It was embarrassingly poor.
Thankfully Wes, Flint and Ward were awake as none of the others seemed to be (other than Wes's decision to let one of the strikers have a 1 on 1 so he could make another save). Byrne was torn apart for about 20 mins or so but did ok thereafter. I think it was the 44th minute when we first strung 3 passes together!
Second half we were on top but created so very little. Luongo was fairly anonymous in the middle and I could see why 451 might have been preferred as we didn't create enough to serve 2 strikers in any way.  I'm struggling to see where our goals are going to come from to enable us to crawl into the playoffs.
Even worse than our performance was the ref's. Made no difference to the result really and in a perverse way provided some entertainment, but was one of the most shocking I've seen in years.

Sorry I am missing the lets all kick K Mac bit.

Today we got bullied. Midfield lightweight and what else could we have done. Would have risked Devera right back as we were up against a physical side however the players were not up to it and should take the responsibility.

Preying a takeover and more worried about our future. All gone very very quiet. Here is hoping.

Lucky results today now if we don't win the next 2 home games we deserve nothing. Still in our hands but plays offs and the lottery.

Still I would take a future rather than a play off place right now.

Hoping for good news at end of season off field.
....or we are in trouble.

Haven't read through the thread as I'd rather enjoy my evening, but this post pretty much sums it up. First half we just looked a bit shocked that they'd pressure us, and it led to us making mistake after mistake - passes went astray, poor decisions were made... on the rare occasions we did pass it around we created one or two chances.

Second half was much better. We got the ball wide, played across the park, and gave their defence much more to think about. Ultimately, we just weren't good enough though.

As mentioned though, the biggest shout out of the day has to go to the ref. I'm not normally one to jump on officials' backs but the guy had a shocker. Countless free kicks against us and yellow cards to Town players, often for very small things, yet Kitson was allowed to throw himself on the floor and back in, not to mention tripping.kicking Wes in the first 10 minutes. Meanwhile, his team mates got away with every trip, pull and push they could manage. I'm not saying they're a dirty team, it's just that countless little decisions that should have gone against them seemed to be missed.

If anybody can explain to me why Collins or Flint were booked I'll be very grateful. The fact we finished the game with 11 men today is a miracle.

Just back ...a little shell shocked by the performance to be honest.
Swindon fans were quality again....the team fed us only crumbs today i am afraid.
Flint played well for me as did young Byrne....the youngster from Spurs is far from a finished product but his heart and commitment is top notch.

I am gladened by the other results and nothing would please me more than to sneak to a playoff final against Sheff Utd....they are not no great shakes.

Got to fnish by saying well done to the blatant homers...the linesman on one side was a disgrace and the ref started being fair once Sheffield were 2 up....that said we deserved zilch.

MacDonald out. He'll take us down next season.

We would have lost less points if we had gone into administration and kept Ritchie and Di Canio. Should have done it.

We would have probably received a far worse punishment than -10 points.

Well not playing 2 lightweight ball players in the middl but pairing one with Navarro might have been a start.

So lets say the authorities had decided to throw us out the League altogether (after all its not like they don't have a history of punishing us harshly), do you honestly think Ritchie & Paolo would have stayed with us in the conference

Couldn't agree more! Was Nevarro on the bench? I'd have taken Lungwhatsit off for him at half time.

??

DoB has told us the present Board, are going in the next fortnight....he now seems less certain, so we'll be left with them.

Played 451  :hmmm:

Stop pretending you care to get a reaction :)

Navarro was booed off the other week.

DMR is like the TEF's very own Adrian Durham (or whatever that talksport bloke's name is).

Fuck me - I wouldn't want to read this form if/when we are really struggling at the wrong end of the table.

Yes, it's all gone tits up

Yes, we're playing shite

Yes, we seem bereft of the smallest crumb of confidence

And YES, we are still in the play-offs.

I'm debating whether to go Tuesday as I don't think I could stand all the gobshitey comments that will be raining down from the stands if things aren't going our way.

I've been through a few seasons when we've been 10 times worse than this

about the worse put down you could get.

And applauded the week after.

So have we all.

We should have been dead and buried at half time, they should have been 4/5 up and we could have had no complaints! Byrne started poorly but improved as the game went on as did Ward who was very shaky to begin with. First half was abysmal.

Second half we were much improved but didn't look like scoring. Every corner/free kick was wasted, either underhit or overt which was incredibly frustrating!! Loungo was anonymous all game, didn't see him do anything of note and the same can bring said for Roberts/de vita. Should have been a pen for Williams as well.

Now the officials. Collins booking was baffling, flint booked for numerous 'fouls' which never were and kitson getting away with fucking everything whereas if any of players even touched be of theirs it was a freekick straight up. Biggest homer I've seen for a long long time!!

Says it all when the loudest cheer from our fans was when we got given a free kick and their player got a yellow. We aren't even creating many chances which is a hell of a lot more worrying than missing countless chances as we were a few weeks back.

Tuesday is a huge game as we need a bloody win and as student loan has come on i thank all of you for paying for my ticket against crewe  ;)

Yes, he was.

I don't mean to have a go at you DoB but there's too much of this vague bollocks going on. I've heard it from elsewhere personally and have seen comments on here and Twitter that allude to various things - positive and negative - without going into any detail whatsoever. If you know something, say it.

It's really vital that we get some firm answers from the board, the on field self-destruction has probably been a bigger distraction than anything and we still really know nothing of note about our new owners. I'm pretty fucking concerned in all honesty.

was it that soon? So is he shit or saviour ?
Truth is probably somewhere inbetween

Same thing as always, you're a better player if you're not in the side.

All our squad is pretty decent...the confidence is low so it needs the fans to stick together now more than ever.
I feel we will reach the playoffs and if we do then we have to be one.
Great numbers today but a lot of discord.

:nod:
Rdv was the answer last week now navarro is. Both average at best footballers. Threadbare squad of average players does not promotion make.

No.

It's your central midfield pairing will always be better off with having a more defensive ball winning midfielder along side a smaller less physical ball playing midfielder.

If Navarro had played I doubt anyone would have suggested going with 2 lightweight midfielders was the way we should have gone but don't let that stop you looking down your nose at all of us :)

Storey's name has popped up a couple of times today too.

I only just checked the table as I turned the commentary off before FT and haven't looked at the forums or Twitter until now but how the fuck are we still 6th?

my daughter asked if I knew miles storey today as he is fit.
She doesn't even like football.

Storey has done more injured then he would have f he was fit. Overated

Navarro played well on Tuesday and should have started today but i don't think it would have made much difference in the first half as the majority were shit. They improved second half so hopefully they can take that into the crewe game!

Need to score first against crewe otherwise it will get pretty nasty very quickly unfortunately

Don't disagree with that at all and wasn't suggesting that leaving Navarro out of the side today was the correct thing to do. I'm sure I've read comments on here about Luongo being quite decent at breaking up the play and that Navarro has only ever played well for us as part of a midfield trio. Earlier in the season he was as bad as, if not worse than, Roberts.

But it's the same thing after most games recently, whoever gets picked shouldn't and whoever doesn't get picked should. De Vita, Navarro, Storey, Collins. Admittedly in this case it was probably right.

Anyway, what's with the dig at me at the end of your post?

Interesting that some thought Navarro played well at Franchise FC, I have to say I thought he was the poorest of the central three that night, an opinion that was backed up by a Franchise fan on TFF who commented that on that performance they were glad that Navarro chose us over them.

We still would have lost. And pairings don't always work like that.
Was it 4,4,2 today then the formation everyone has been calling for?
If so is it now the personel and not the formation or formation and personel ?

i was basing him playing well on the fact that when he went off we got ripped to shit in the centre of midfield so must have been doing something right! Having him screening in front of the back 4 today could have been beneficial for us.

Interesting to see the team kmac puts out next

Surely we are only 1 defeat away from reeling out the panic button?

Agreed, neither. My point wasn't that he is a saviour, my point was it wasn't working and it was worth a try putting him on to try and add more bite.

K-Mac pretty much played the team I'd have played today, other than Navarro for Luguano. So no arguments there. I did think we looked short of width in the first half. When we started to play it on hte deck in the second half we looked half decent at times, though no cutting edge.

When he was injured?

Players carrying knocks and don't look as fit. Now playing kids in big games with debuts.
Bare bones. Squad threadbare and we are still in 6th place in a league that is average at best.

I would take play offs now but we still need points and at present we are off the pace.

A little sarky dig with a smile, yes



Pairing don't always work like that but more so than having two lightweights. I think the personal was slightly wrong today. Players and Manager are responsible for the performance.


Why even take him then?

Fingers still crossed. Gone very quiet but that is not necessary a bad thing.

Just hope it's true.

What exactly has "gone very quiet"? I still don't really follow

Have the jedward illiterate matey tweets gone quiet?

Indeed, in the nicest way. Spill it or GTFO.

Mac said that Navarro had a tight hamstring.  Maybe he took him believing he would be ok, maybe he felt it in a fitness test.  It's not like he had a right lot of choices to change it at short notice.

I would prefer Navarro be 100% fit for the next 3 games rather than risk losing him for the rest of the season against Sheff Utd away.

I am surprised everyone is so upset about losing away at Sheff Utd.  I can understand people being pissed of with the performance, but I didn't expect us to win up there with the injury problems we have at the moment and the form that we have been in.  Did everyone else really expect us to sweep them aside with no issues?

No, but I think the thing that has startled many is that:
- In the first half we were humiliated by a nervous, out of form team that was lacking in confidence
- At one point today, in the live table, we had dropped out of the play off places
- Today we official can no longer finish in the top 2
 

Didn't know that.

Utd have just changed manager, apart from us you usually see a reaction.  Their fans on TFF are saying it was their best performance of the season.

After the last 4/5 weeks nobody can be that surprised that we are not going to make autos, or were going to drop out of the play off places at some point.  It's hardly hit us out of the blue, we haven't played well since January.

Said it in the post match interview, I know you didn't hear it.

Has Mr Venkman changed his username?   :hmmm:

What's your take on the current lot then DoB? I'm guessing that if they don't sell up we will have to make ends meat by cutting the wage bill and selling players to stay afloat?

As for the game, another disappointing result for us. We were lucky that other results went our way with the teams below us. We haven't won in 5 games yet we're still in the top 6 that's how poor this league is. The stupid thing is a lot of fans are getting on the players and managers backs but it's still in our hands. Win the next 2 and it's a done deal. Now is the time to back the players, sadly I can see it being the opposite at the CG this week if we're not 1-0 inside 20 minutes.

How many did we take?

1248.


On a positive note, it's nice to see our fans paying their respects to Margret Thatcher with yet another 90 minutes of silence like we did at MK.

Because the team were so inspiring on the pitch, weren't they!?

Speak for yourself, personally I'm rather pleased to get a bit of info from what I consider to be a more reliable sauce than most, appreciating people can't always reveal all on an Internet forum without compromising their own sauces....

What's all this talk of Jed and co leaving, have I missed something?

Depends whether you believe rumours with zero substance (at the moment)

Duke of Banbury, who has been around for years, and for obvious reasons, has his ear very close to the ground, as regards the Banbury Massiv, had informed us that the present Board will be out of the door in the next fortnight. Hedging his bits a bit now though...I'd very much like this to be true, if the new owners, seemed to have a bit more gravitas.

Wishful thinking I suspect....

Duke of Banbury is making shit up to get a reaction.

There, I said it. You're all thinking it.

I've heard it from somebody else that is usually on the money. They just put it down to rumour, but it seems that rumour is/was doing the rounds in circles close to the club.

I'm not so sure....it has gone remarkably quiet from the Board, just at a time when you'd expect them to be making a big effort to communicate with the fans.

he aint the sort to make things up for a reaction. Could have it wrong but not deliberately

I have my views on this and they need some pretty thick rose tinted glasses to make the outlook positive if we don't get promotion... or a buy out

So it seems there are more fun and games in store, we really don't do 'settled periods' do we? Still my ST has been renewed and I am buckled in for more thrills and spills on the roller-coaster!

I have my views too without the new rumours now out there. I think the new board are ropey as fuck and have since day one.

Whilst travelling back on the train yesterday I was reflecting on our recent demise & trying to put some perspective on it all.  Following the departure of PDC & the arrival of KMac, and particularly our performances over the last 3 games, I believe there are several things that have contributed:

We were over performing under PDC, it's happened to many teams.  I thought against Doncaster & again yesterday we lacked energy, belief & heart, 3 attributes that had seen us reach the top of L1.

Inability to score, our strikers have a real confidence issue, a natural goalscorer usually has an arrogance about him, a belief that he'll score, ours don't.

Having been played off the park in the first half yesterday, we're just not good enough, yet!  I'm still confident we'll get to the POs, maybe even Wembley, but we're a long way off sustainability at a higher level, or competing in this league for an automatic spot next season.

I'm as frustrated as the rest of you, but the reality is we've had a cracking couple of seasons (including most of this one) & our expectations were enhanced by the previous regime (board & management), we are Swindon, nothings straight forward and every high seems to be followed by a massive bump!

I'll be there, the remaining games this season & next, travelling the breadth of the country week in week out, but this is a another new era & may take a bit of time, I am confident that we will be a Championship team again, whether it's next season or the season after, I've no idea, but we will. 

I don't expect everyone to agree, but this is my view.   

 

So what about all the plans that had to be presented to the FL that they then took weeks sifting through with a fine tooth comb before approving the takeover?

Hands up if you want a new Board and a new manager?

 :bye:

I guess it comes down to whether you believe what the board have said with regards to the football league as the football leagues approach is not to comment on individual circumstances and don't even confirm or deny the existence of embargo's. We don't even definitively know whether the ringfenced £1.2m even exists, hopefully future accounts will clear that up but as they fed us so many conflicting stories I won't be holding my breath.

Yep - and there is quite a bit I find hard to believe about all that - but that's a separate issue to the clearance of the takeover and the fit and proper test etc. My understanding was that the board had to present a business plan to the FL and had to prove that they had the appropriate backing to keep the club afloat going forward etc. Unless somethings changed since then.

Incidentally the holding co have just filed docs at Companies House. There was a special resolution at a shareholders meeting to dis-apply pre-emption rights and to split the shares. Not sure of the significance in that (if any), maybe someone else might be able to comment.

A certain somebody trying to sue the club, perhaps?

That's if you believe the FAPP test is even worth the papers it's written on, my personal opinion is that it is a very naive test that relies on people telling the truth. How else can you explain the Portsmouth, Notts County, Plymouth etc scenarios. With regards to the Pompey and Notts County scenarios the people/money didn't even exist which just makes the 'test' appear laughable. I just feel anyone could get through it and therefore passing the test doesn't really tell us anything with regards to the boards competence/intentions.

The £1.2m may well exist... the real test has to be is it actually available to be invested in the club...

There's been no confirmation or evidence that he actually is/intends to and I still think it's very unlikely.

What is the rumour? Is it that the board might possibly not be here at the end of the season because that could mean any number of things.

The allegations were made very public. I can think of no reason why PDC or anybody would choose not to deny them. It does not make one iota of sense that he would choose to ignore them, he even threw a hissy fit when Watkins mentioned his hand grenade management.

It is easy and costless for him to say he has/had no intention of suing the club. So why hasn't he?

Would a PL club have employed him if he was involved in a legal case against his former club? I don't know but it could be that  any legal threat has been dropped since he got the job.

That somebody is interested in buying, possibly one of the other consortia that were interested before. There was no suggestion that the current lot are trying to get out per say, just that another party wants to buy them out.

As I said this came from somebody other than Banbury and somebody that tends to know stuff. They didn't seem to take it too seriously though.

I would not consider employing somebody considering suing their previous employee and I expect many, many other people wouldn't either. Which again makes me think that he would have denied the allegations if they were not true, immediately, so as to not potentially harm his job prospects. Perhaps Sunderland thought it was worth the risk or simply disregarded it. Dunno.

Actually I think I just made up that bit in bold. I didn't hear that.

Shares being offered to someone other than Jed. Could be one of the other directors, the mystery money man/men, or a new investor.

Jed McCrory (24.75%)
 Steve Murrall (24.75%)
 Gary Hooper (24.75%)
 Callum Rice (24.75%)

The Duke tends to have his finger on the pulse where these matters are concerned. If he's wrong, it would more than likely be the result of incorrect information than a case of shit-stirring. In my view something is clearly not right...the takeover doesn't pass the "smell-test", for what reasons we largely currently know not

I would imagine it's quite probable though?  As has been mentioned previously, the only reason we were landed with Jed and Co, were because they were the only interested party who could meet Black's timescales.  Personally I think the whole thing started off as a bit of a laugh for them and suddenly they found themselves as owners of a football club and totally out of their depth.

We've heard absolutely nothing from them to put anyone's mind at rest, which you would have thought they'd have been keen to do.

Yep.

Which is probably why I ended up inadvertently making it up.

Of course though it's just rumour, for now at least.

As i said a few weeks back he never had any intention of suing the club....in my opinion.

Just because he didn't deny it means zilch.

And if there was chance he was going to then i doubt the embargo would have been lifted.

It means everything. The accusation is out there and he has not denied it.

What's more is that anybody would have to be extraordinarily stupid to create such a fallacy when it could so easily be denied. They would know that all PDC would have to do is deny the accusation and they are left looking like a bunch of lying cunts. If they did want to make something up, they'd find something else.

Was this aimed at me?  If so, what about my posts did you not understand/disagree with?  Rather than coming out with schoolboy shit like you have done with PV in the past try giving me some substance to respond to.

You can change the name, but it doesn't change the person behind the keyboard.

Well if the guy behind me calling him a cunt at the top of his voice non stop at the end is anything to go on,not long

For what its worth I totally agree with you, he may have been considering it but the chance at Sunderland changed all that.  Now, this was widely reported in the newspapers so why doesn't the board come out and say it is over and done with . . . . probably at the same time they can explain a few more things!!

I can't shift the feeling that they're happy to hide behind the on-field distractions for a little while, the concerns over the board have pretty much just become frustration at their choice of appointment which doesn't get us anywhere... if they're still here next month

We've not heard a peep from this Greg Hall chappie

I reckon a whole lot of the things which have happened recently have been smokescreens.

Black sold Ritchie to get rid of di Canio - this seems pretty obvious to me - and I don't think for a minute that the administration bogey man was ever a likely outcome.

The new lot also didn't want to retain di Canio - hence the 'no phone call' to ward off his resignation.

Whether this is entirely down to financial reasons or just petty revenge I don't know.

I just don't believe the timescale Black put on having to sell the club.

We've been butt-fucked by just about everyone involved.

None of the parts highlighted in bold make any logical sense whatsoever. It's up there with 9/11 conspiracy theories. Well done.

On the football front, I didn't even know who Francis was until he came on v Sheff U. Did OK in a cameo role.

Why on Earth would black want rid of Di Canio when he was selling the club anyway?

where did he play ?
He's decent but I've only seen him play wide left.

Actually, the new lot not wanting to retain PDC does make some logical sense in a way. If they couldn't afford him and came outright and said they didn't want to retain him then I think they were on a hiding to nothing with the fans.

That doesn't make it true.

Up front, straight swap with Collins. Showed some good feet at one point. Actually I can't remember too much about the last 15. Too busy sulking :)

Why does it have to be logical?

If the new lot wanted to retain PdC they could have done so - even if meant bullshitting him to see the season out.

They made no contact because they wanted him out - probably to get rid of his salary.

Black had seen Wray/PdC taking the piss with his money and decided to fuck them all off - and bollocks to the fans.

Fair enough, it's his decision - but he was the catalyst for everything that has happened since.

If a multi-millionaire can't hold on for a few more months and avoid his 'car crash' scenario than my cock's a kipper

It's still completely unclear whether the current board contacted Paolo or not. Both parties have contradicted each other entirely so it's impossible to draw any kind of assumption from it that isn't based on the belief that one party is lying through their teeth (which I'm loathe to do personally).

The salary thing is a misnomer as it was stated in the press that terms were agreed on a new deal and the only stumbling block was the takeover not going through by a specific date and time set by Di Canio - something completely out of the control of the board as it was with the FL at the time.

Black had tried and nearly succeeded in selling the club the previous summer which is a fact many people overlook.

Everyone involved in this has issued their own 'statement' of truth on the course of events - each, obviously, wanting to absolve themselves of any blame on what actually happened.

But here we are, imploding by the week.

Again, I can't really see why Black couldn't/wouldn't hold on til season's end - when we almost certainly would have been promoted, thus making the club more attractive.

From what I've heard, PdC was universally loathed at the club

Universally loathed and gets results vs liked and doesn't get results. I know which type of gaffer I want in charge of the club.

I wouldn't say KMac falls into either category.

I have to agree with Kerry Red's comments about Black as well.  This whole decline started when he set ridiculous timescales to sell the club and basically invited Bournemouth to come and get Ritchie at rock bottom price by saying the whole team were up for sale.  It's starting to look more and more likely that he has got rid of us to a bunch of clueless, disinterested idiots with no financial backing.  I can't help but feel more than slightly pissed off with Black tbh.

Thats not quite right though is it. As J Wray liked him a lot.

To be honest Jo, my comment wasn't about MacDonald more about PDC. Just saying a loathed manager who gets results, is a manager I'd like.

Even back in 93 there were always rumours that the players didn't like Glenn.

From what I gather Macari wasn't all that popular either.

Well obviously, because everything is either black or it's white isn't it?  ::)

There could be any number of reasons why he didn't come out and deny it. Why should he or anyone else have to issue a statement to refute every rumour? He may just be being a cunt, or he may not have even been aware of it - as far as I recall Moreshead spoke to his 'representative' (Spencer maybe?) who refused to comment. Apart from anything else anyone would be well advised not to comment in the press just after you've parted company with your employer under those sort of circumstances. It's utterly ridiculous to conclude that it must be true just because it hasn't been denied.

Also, the club statement didn't say there was a threat to sue from PDC - as far as I can recall it was very vague and just referred to "ex-employees".

Lets face it Paolo has moved onto bigger and better things, anyone who seriously thinks he's sat up at night plotting revenge on STFC is deluded. The fact is very likely to be that he could no longer give an actual fuck. And anyway even if he intended to sue (he doesn't) and he had a valid constructive dismissal claim (he hasn't), the claim would be worth comparatively very little now, as he got a new job within a few weeks.

It's a steaming pile of horse shit.

I do

100% agree with you

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21625512

It was reported by the BBC for crying out loud. It was in the national press.

If you have been accused of doing something quite serious in the national press that you have not done, or considered doing, you're going to refute it. He made subsequent interviews with the BBC afterward and chose not to make even the slightest mention.

Why was there no objection from PDC to this article?

Just want to make a few points after reading this thread.

Maybe Paolo has never come out and denied suing the club because he's leveraging for some sort of pay-out that can be (and most probably will be) sorted amicably rather than through a court case.

Jed never wanted to keep Di Canio. Let's not play silly buggers here people.

Peace

Doesn't matter if the manager is liked or not, successfull or not, if you can't afford him.  Without Black (or even with really) we couldn't afford him.

People should stop harking back to PDC, he wasn't sustainable, end of.  Just a shame we didn't go for a similar replacement, rookie ex player boss IMO.  They are a gamble but at least generate a bit of excitement even when they don't work out.

Who exactly do you expect to to be able to answer that question?

That article has no quotes and no sources - the story doesn't even claim to have originated from unnamed sources. It's probably based on the interview PDC gave before Crawley away when he threatened to quit and alleged the club had breached his contract. In retrospect that was all highly likely to be to manouvre an exit whilst preserving his famous 'loyalty' rather than there ever being any genuine intention to sue the club.

No no no.

You don't get out of being unable to answer a simple question that way!

You have so far offered 'being a cunt' and 'him not being aware' (although it was in national media).

 :hmmm:

Are you serious?

Your logic amuses me.

To be fair, Di Canio has been quick enough to issue statements over other matters, so why not around this?  I can understand Flasheart's logic.

Does anybody have a realistic suggestion as to why PDC (or anybody) would not object to what would amount to slander in the press?

Genuine question.

He didn't like the hand grenade bit at all. I think he responded to that within hours.

I really don't get why this is apparently so obvious, not trying to play devil's advocate, defend the board or anything like that - I really don't get it. Maybe the board couldn't afford his salary but why force him out? Surely if they're dodgy and want to make money out of the club then keeping it's arguably most important asset would be top of the agenda? Skimp on the playing budget or something else instead.

That's just how I saw it.

Truth is that probably Di Canio wasn't keen either.

Given his ultimatum(s) and the subsequent immediate departure of himself and his entire staff, that is definitely obvious.

Suited both parties but I don't buy Jed coming out and saying that he tried all he could to keep him.

That's bollocks.

As I said I just don't understand how the board benefited by Di Canio leaving.

The only person who benefited from the whole clusterfuck was the man himself who is now plying his trade in the top division and after some brief negative media attention he is now the darling mastermind of passion personified.

I don't think Jed wanted to deal with Di Canio.

Fair enough. I guess it's all elementary now and a bit pointless arguing, the incumbent board might not be here much longer anyway.

Indeed.

Interesting to see what happens...

Yep and following the Ritchie transfer, that was about 24 hours.  I'm sure there was at least one more as well, but can't think what?

What's that got to do with anything? You sing and support your team. Portsmouth fans and Plymouth fans sing for 90 minutes non stop away from home, regardless of how things are going.

Because everybody was too fucking depressed to sing.

Next time I'll wear a stupid hat and ring a cow bell for 90 minutes. Only if that make's you happy though?

..

I thought the support was very good to be honest, even at 2-0 we didn't stop singing.

Just saw the highlights. The first half was worse than I remember, and I remember it being shocking! Forgot they hit the woodwork twice in addition to their 'barn door' finishing.

Went a bit overboard on the Jaegers pre match and don't remember much after half time, which may make me one of the lucky ones. Evidently fell over once or twice.

Nice to make the acquaintance of Donkey and Red Frog before the game  :bye:

I thought that the Jaegers were a bad idea at the time, but in hindsight they were a very well thought out plan!

Good to meet Donkey and apologies to Red Frog for talking bollix on the train back to Oxford!  :bye: :-[

Second half was actually not a bad away performance, just lacked cutting edge.

And that pretty much sums up the KMac era, eh? Hopefully Collins, Williams or A Rooney (any Rooney...) will miraculously rediscover their shooting boots in time for a playoff run...

In this case we didn't really supply them with any clear opportunities to miss. Nearly but not quite..

KMac does not seem to like playing the width game, he seems to enjoy playing narrow hence his 4-5-1 with no wingers

I was not at Sheff Utd so cannot say how we played but were the 'wingers' playing wide with the full backs trying to overlap to get a cross in or were they looking to take it inside at every opportunity.

I think part of the problem with KMac was he has tried to change too much too soon, we was not a team deep in a relegation fight when he came in so had to get points on the board straight away regardless of how they were achieved, we was a team that had been playing a certain way and getting results playing that way, that had just suffered some upheaval and needed to settle and get back to playing the decent type of football we had been playing with the same style.

With these players getting the injuries I do wonder if we are missing the fitness work that the PDC regime put in to ensure players stayed fit, and with KMac does not have such a high emphasis on this in his sessions more on the technical way.

We haven't got any wingers. Ritchie has gone and Roberts is useless. RdV is a striker playing wide and Williams was a wideman now playing centre. I can see why KMac is playing it narrow even if its the wrong thing to do.

I thought we were narrow in the first half, but given we were being torn a new one I think more width would have made it even worse.

That was an embarrassing atmosphere.  Quiet as.  Doesn’t help when the Arkells  1. go to away games, 2. sit in the middle and 3. complain that people are standing near them.  Some lads gave it a go second half, but if the best we can come up with is that annoying rip off of the Aldershot song, then things are quite possibly worse than first thought.

Dog shit atmosphere, has been for most of the season.

Most of the sides I've seen this year have 2 big bastards at centre half and banging in crosses for whoever we have up front has not worked.

We look better trying to outplay a team's defence on the deck to get into a good position - problem with this is that it is the first thing to go when confidence is shot and fans start getting on player's backs

I thought Francis was playing wide left, with Williams back in the middle.
 Like you, I'd never heard of him before either. The way the players are dropping at the moment we could have a few more such cameos over the next couple of weeks.

Actually you could be right. As I say, I seem to have no memory of the last 15.